Opening night of the 2010 World Matchplay gets underway at the Winter Gardens tonight with former World Champions Dennis Priestley & Raymond van Barneveld amongst those in action.
Dennis Priestley v Vincent van der Voort
Three time World Matchplay finalist Dennis Priestley hit the treble 20 yesterday as he celebrated his 60th birthday. The world number fourteen has curtailed his PDC Pro Tour commitments somewhat and the signs are that the Mexborough Menace may be winding down towards a well-earned retirement and this could well be his final World Matchplay appearance having not missed an outing since the tournament’s inception in 1994. Of those events he has played on tour in 2010 (15 in total), a semi final and a quarter final placing are his best return and moreover, since losing to Denis Ovens in the opening round of last year’s tournament, the Yorkshireman has only played on TV on four occasions. He finds himself as the 11/8 outsider against Holland’s lightning quick Vincent van der Voort (4/6). The Dutchman has struck the jackpot on the PDC Pro Tour twice this season – the latter as recently as winning a Players Championship in Holland in June. John Part & Wayne Mardle were put to the sword on this stage last year before the world number 19 exited at the hands of Mervyn King in the last eight. Often known for his tremendous 180 hitting, it is worth noting that in his last eight TV appearances, van der Voort has managed to notch over two maximums on just one occasion. The bookmakers tend to raise the mark when ‘Greased Lightning’ is involved and with such contrasting styles apparent between these two not allowing for any sort of rhythm to get going, it may well be worth getting on the short side of 6.5 180s at 11/10.
Colin Osborne v Wayne Jones
Wayne Jones has yet to win a game on this stage in three attempts but the general 6/4 shot could well be a good thing at the Winter Gardens tonight. ‘Woody’ has reached eleven tour quarter finals in 2010 (three of which finals) and will surely transfer his floor form onto the big stage sooner or later. Opponent Colin Osborne, despite showing great promise, has never really shone at this tournament with two second round & three first round exits to his name in his five attempts. ‘The Wizard’ is also not in the greatest of form. His last 16 placing at last month’s Las Vegas Players Championship was the first time that he has progressed past the last 32 of a tournament in thirteen outings. Although having the edge on the head to head record between the pair, we’re struggling to see how Osborne justifies 8/15 favouritism and Jones is without the doubt the value punt.
Raymond van Barneveld v Denis Ovens
Tonight signals the return of five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld to TV tournament darts. Barney’s last outing as such was his pulsating World Championship semi final defeat to Simon Whitlock in January and he returns to take on the bang in form Denis Ovens. In each of his three appearances to date at the World Matchplay, the Dutchman has exited at the quarter final stage and Ladbrokes make him 4/1 to do so again in their Stage of Elimination offering. It’s almost impossible to tell what state the Dutchman’s game is in and the general 4/11 being dangled can only be based on reputation rather than form. One man whose reputation is growing by the week is Denis Ovens. Few men can boast more experience at the Winter Gardens than the Stevenage hotshot as he clocks up his eleventh appearance on this great stage. He has doubtlessly been in greater shape after a career best TV showing at June’s UK Open and four PDC Pro Finals (one victory) on his résumé in 2010. Amongst his success at the Reebok Stadium, ‘The Heat’ planted 6 180s (and a pair of 100+ averages) in both his quarter final and semi final matches and looks staggeringly overpriced at 7/2 to record more than van Barneveld this evening especially given that Barney averaged just 3.14 180s per match over his fourteen Premier League contests from February to May.
Ronnie Baxter v Jamie Caven
Finalist, four semi finals, & three quarter finals is how Ronnie Baxter’s record reads at the Winter Gardens. The local man returns for what he will be hoping is a 13th time lucky at the World Matchplay. Baxter, now in his 50th year, has been enjoying a real Indian summer in his career having qualified for and excelled at the 2010 Premier League Darts and finds himself sat at number seven in the world. He almost managed to take the roof off the Empress Ballroom this time last year with a magnificent 16-10 quarter final victory over James Wade and will no doubt inherit the vast majority of support at the venue yet again. ‘The Rocket’ dispatched of Simon Whitlock & Adrian Lewis in taking June’s PDC Pro Tour title in Barnsley and he makes the short journey to the Gardens as a solid 4/6 shot in his round one encounter with Jamie Caven. ‘Jabba’ has produced some fine performances on the floor in the last 18 months having taken two Pro Tour titles in 2009 but it’s his lack of success on the box that makes Baxter such a good shout. Despite regularly doing enough on the floor to qualify for the big events, Caven has only ever won once on TV (A 3-0 win over Wes Newton at Alexandra Palace in 2007) and those looking at tucking into the 6/4 quotes about the Midlander should take note. All games must be won by two clear legs and we are supremely confident that all the elements are with the Blackpool man and he should cover the extra half a leg and take victory on the handicap at 11/10 (Boylesports/Stan James) with a 10-7 victory or better.
Verdict
Wayne Jones to beat Colin Osborne at 6/4 (Various)
Denis Ovens to hit more 180s than Raymond van Barneveld at 7/2 (Various)
Ronnie Baxter (-2.5) to beat Jamie Caven at Evens (Boylesports)
